More than 14,000 signed a petition against the closure

On Monday evening, officials and campaigners agreed on an action plan to bring back cover at Llanelli's Prince Philip Hospital.

Under the proposals, there will be a greater reliance on specially-trained GPs and nurses instead of hospital doctors.

Patients will be assessed at the unit before either being treated or transferred to hospitals in Swansea or Carmarthen.

Those behind the proposals said the unit would deal with the same types of cases as it dealt with before it was forced to close at night last September.

Acute trauma cases such as road accident victims and children with certain conditions would continue to be directed to alternative units.

With certain assurances I am sure that staff at A&E will back this option Andrew Davies, Unison

Doctor Mark Vaughan, who chaired Monday's meeting, said: "We are keen to develop a service at Prince Philip Hospital which is exciting and will be a template for the rest of Wales."

The steering group was made up of health officials, politicians, union representatives and campaigners.

Carmarthenshire NHS Trust A&E consultant Jeremy Williams said: "I really think this is the best way ahead to provide a 24-hour service in Llanelli again.

"Some patients will have to be treated elsewhere, but that will be better for those patients."

Timescale assurances

The A&E department at the hospital has been closed between the hours of 2000 GMT and 0600 GMT since September because of a lack of qualified hospital doctors.

Assembly Members Catherine Thomas and Helen Mary Jones backed the proposals, although they asked for assurances about when the new service would be up and running.

They were told that all the necessary funding was in place and the time scale would be made public next week.

The plan is also set to win the approval from A&E staff.

Unison representative Andrew Davies said there was "optimism" about the scheme.

"With certain assurances I am sure that staff at A&E will back this option," he said.

The plan will go before the Carmarthenshire Local Health Board on Thursday and should go out to public consultation next week.

Before the meeting started, petitions signed by more than 14,000 people were handed in calling for a reinstatement of the service.